Authorities in Limestone County said 10 men were arrested last week following a joint operation focused on men seeking sex acts with children.
The Limestone County Sheriff’s Office and the Athens police conducted the operation, which identified men looking to contact and solicit children for sex online.
According to the sheriff’s office, the men instead unknowingly contacted undercover officers posing as children in chat rooms, on social media, specifically Snapchat, and other online portals.
“These offenders agreed to pay to engage in sexual acts with children and then traveled to designated locations in Limestone County to commit these sex crimes,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
Sheriff Joshua McLaughlin said at an afternoon news conference that parents should make sure their children are not communicating with adults, as predators are not just on social media apps, but also in video game chat rooms and other forums where parents might think them safe.
“We don’t solicit people, they solicit our decoys,” McLaughlin said.
Those arrested were:
- Barry Louvert Knight Jr., 23, of Madison, charged with attempted human trafficking, electronic solicitation of a child, and traveling to meet a child for an unlawful sex act. Knight is being held in the Limestone County Jail on $200,000 bond.
- Cederick Lamar White, 40, Athens, charged with attempted human trafficking, electronic solicitation of a child, and traveling to meet a child for an unlawful sex act. White is being held in the Limestone County Jail on $200,000 bond.
- Ladi Antiono Hernandez, 26, of Indian Town, Fla., charged with attempted human trafficking, electronic solicitation of a child, and traveling to meet a child for an unlawful sex act. Hernandez was released from the Limestone County Jail on $200,000 bond.
- Enrique Marquez Hipolito, 23, of Decatur, charged with attempted human trafficking, electronic solicitation of a child, and traveling to meet a child for an unlawful sex act. Hipolito was released from the Limestone County Jail on $200,000 bond.
- Raul Aguilar Martinez, 36, of Decatur, charged with attempted human trafficking, electronic solicitation of a child, and traveling to meet a child for an unlawful sex act. Martinez was released from the Limestone County Jail on $200,000 bond.
- Brandon Lee Smith, 28, of Prospect, Tenn., charged with attempted human trafficking, electronic solicitation of a child, and traveling to meet a child for an unlawful sex act. Smith was released from the Limestone County Jail on $200,000 bond.
- Daevid Marcelius Williams, 34, of Huntsville, charged with attempted human trafficking, electronic solicitation of a child, and traveling to meet a child for an unlawful sex act. Williams was released from the Limestone County Jail on $200,000 bond.
- Jakobe Ray Fields, 22, of Muscle Shoals, charged with attempted human trafficking, electronic solicitation of a child, and traveling to meet a child for an unlawful sex act. Fields was released from the Limestone County Jail on $200,000 bond.
- Trinton Obryan Bouldin, 19, of Huntsville, AL charged with attempted human trafficking, electronic solicitation of a child, and traveling to meet a child for an unlawful sex act, and second degree possession of marijuana. Bouldin was released from the Limestone County Jail on $201,000 bond.
A Huntsville man was also arrested on public intoxication, attempting to elude law enforcement, and marijuana possession charges. He was released on $2,500 bond. Authorities said at a news conference Monday afternoon that while this man was on the scene, he was only charged with these offenses and not with any of the trafficking charges.
If you suspect that a person may be a victim of human trafficking, call local law enforcement or the National Human Trafficking Hot Line at 1-888-373-7888. Authorities say you should never attempt to confront a suspected trafficker or rescue a suspected victim.
